From the Fire
by JokersJester
Summary: It's been six years since Hermione Granger left London, and the entire Wizarding World, behind with a secret. The years pass with no mention of dark forces. However, when something evil threatens her loved ones, she must return to the world of magic and hope it can provide the safety she so desperately seeks. Rated M for strong violence and mature content.
1. Chapter 1

A/N This is not my first fanfic, but I do hope you all enjoy it! Love, Harley

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The camera shuttered three times as her finger stayed pressed down on the button. She let the device drop and hang from the cord around her neck. Her fingers curled over a black marker and journal. She scribbled down the street names, the time, and the date. Her wand lay unused in her messenger bag, as it often did these days. In truth, she did not know how long it'd been since she had used her magical abilities. It had to be months, several of them, and if she really dug deep, she'd find it'd been almost a year. It was a habit to carry the elaborate stick around with her, but she found she never had use for it. She'd grown up a muggle, she didn't mind doing things for herself. Her legs dangled over the edge of the fire escape as she shoved the journal back in her bag and picked up the camera again. She pointed it at the couple in the restaurant, watching the man lean in to kiss the lady's neck. The red headed woman giggled, placing her hand over his thigh and sliding it upwards. She was unfazed by this. This was a part of her job, a job she did extremely well.

She looked down at her watch and hissed, "Shit." She removed the camera, stuffing it into the bag and hoisted herself off the fire escape, letting the ladder drop as far as it would go before jumping down the rest of the way. Her feet hit the ground gracefully and she wiped off imaginary dust from her pants. She headed out of the alleyway and into the crowd of people. The Empire State Building loomed large behind her as she removed her cell phone from her pocket. She dialed a number, bringing the phone to her ear.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite wee Brit." It was a male who answered her call. She rolled her eyes. "What can I do for you today?"

"I am late. I am so, so late, Bran, you've absolutely no clue." She turned around and headed to the edge of the street, lifting her hand. A yellow cab stopped in front of her and she nearly had to hide her surprise at how quick that'd been.

"And what exactly are you late for?" Brandon McAllister's voice was teasing and she didn't enjoy it one bit. She slipped into the cab and closed the door, giving the taxi driver instructions. She could hear Bran's smile as he listened to her. "You're coming to visit me? I feel flattered."

"Shut it. I have a meeting with Allison Wades in-" She looked down at her watch again and nibbled her lip. "- fifteen minutes and I'm not there yet. I'm not even close to there, Bran. Besides with all this traffic." She sighed desperately. "It'll take me at least twenty minutes before I get there. And I know! I know!" She continued before he could interrupt. "I should have checked the time earlier, I just got distracted with work."

"You're rambling."

"I need you to stall. Use whatever charm Ms. Wades clearly thinks you have and stall her, Bran. Please. I am begging you." And she indeed was.

Bran smirked at that, she knew he did. She could practically hear it. "On your knees? That's a pretty picture."

"Don't be disgusting, you have a wife." She sat back against the seats, legs crossed.

"Only for the next two weeks. We sign the divorce papers on the 16th." She tilted her head at that, sitting up a bit straighter. He could tell she was curious. "I know I should've told you, but come on, what guy wants to openly admit to his female friends that he found his wife fucking the mail man? It's such a cliche!"

"Oh, Bran...I- I'm so sorry, I had no clue." She shook her head, disgusted. "You deserve better than that."

"I know that now. Which is why, I will stall Allison." She grinned and opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "IF- and only IF- you agree to go out with me this week." She nibbled her lower lip, scratching just above her ear, a habit when she was nervous. It's not like Bran was ugly. He was tall and lean with dark eyes and sandy hair and he was of great intellect. "Hello? Did I scare you off?" He sounded worried.

She let out a soft chuckle and licked her lips. "No. No, you didn't scare me, Brandon." She let out a soft sigh. "Alright. Pick a day and I'll let you know if I'm free."

"Yes!" He sounded excited and she couldn't help but smile. It'd been too long since her last date. She didn't really have much time for that nowadays. "Okay. How far are you?" She looked out of the window and then at the traffic.

"Realistically, still about fifteen minutes. The traffic is horrible." She looked out the window and spotted an alleyway, the urge to apparate was strong. She shook her head to clear that thought from her head. She hadn't done magic like that since she'd moved to New York City almost six years ago. Since then, all of the magic she'd done was small until she'd decided to give it up almost a year ago.

"Okay, then. That means I've got to distract her for at least twenty. I think I can do that." Bran cut into her thoughts and she smiled.

"Thank you, Bran. You're a great friend." She heard the click ending the call and slipped her phone into her jacket pocket. She groaned as they hit another traffic light and leaned forward. "Sir, I will pay you double if you can please, please, drive a little faster."

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Ginny headed down the steps of the apartment she shared with Harry, her long red hair up in its signature ponytail. She smiled as she saw her fiancée sat on the love seat, his back to her. His jet black hair was as unruly as ever, especially from behind. The fireplace danced with flames and she smiled. It was on days like this that she was most appreciative of the life she was able to live. She walked quietly over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling him jump. "Sorry, love. Did I scare you?"

Harry let out a chuckle of relief, looking up at her. "You? Scare me? As if." She giggled and pecked his cheek, jumping over the back of the couch to sit beside him. He let go of the photo album on his lap long enough to wrap an arm around her, letting her curl up against him. Ginny took note of what he was looking at. The pages with his father and mother were long since put in picture frames. No, these were of their time at Hogwarts. His time at Hogwarts. His friends, the Weasley family, Hermione. Ginny frowned silently. She sat up to look at the love of her life and traced the worry lines on his face. He reached up and took her hand in his. "I miss her, Gin. Every day, I miss her. She was like my sister. My only sister. And now- these days is when I feel I need her most. The upcoming wedding and the fluster and flounce and all of it, it can be a bit…much. I would marry you tomorrow, in the middle of the Forbidden Forest, in a brown paper bag if it meant I could have Hermione there." There were tears in both their eyes and Ginny leaned forward to embrace him. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I don't want to make you feel like you're not enough. You are. You-"

"Hush, Harry. Don't do that." Ginny shook her head at him, pulling back slowly, her hand cupping his cheek. "I know what it's like to lose a sibling, remember? Hermione was like my sister, too. I miss her, too. We all do. Especially with the wedding in mind. She's the only person I'd want as my maid of honor. She's the only one. And we don't even know where she is, if she's even still….alive." She said it cautiously and even though a pained look crossed Harry's face, she knew he understood. It'd been nearly six years since they'd last seen their friend. In the middle of the night, they'd received a letter with news of her departure. They'd been devastated. They'd read it so many times they each knew it by memory. Even Percy.

 _To my family,_

 _I am sorry I could not do this in person. I'm afraid my Gryffindor courage has failed me here. I write to you because I am leaving. I don't for how long and I don't even know where, but I do know this. I have to. I'm afraid if I explain it further to you, you'll try to convince me to stay. It's not what I want. I need a life away from the horror. I know you all have nightmares, even 2 years after the war. I still have them, too. But you've got someone that holds you when you hear a bump in the night. I've made my decision and as you're reading this, I've already gone. The owl who arrived with this had specific instructions not to give it to you until I'm no longer in the country. I promise I will write to you. Maybe not every day, maybe not every month, but I will try as often as I can. I hope to see you all again someday. Just let me work out what I need to. I love you all and the family you've given me._

 _Thank you, Hermione Jean Granger._

Of course, after two more letters, spaced out between 10 months, no more came. They hadn't hear from her in five years. Ginny sighed and lay her head against Harry's chest, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around him. "We'll see her again, Harry. I'm confident in that. You must be too."

Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes. "After six years, I'm not so sure." He wrapped his arms around his fiancée and let them comfort one another. How he loved Ginny. His wonderful, hot-headed, stubborn Ginny Weasley. She was his and soon, she'd have his last name. At 26, it had taken Harry too long to propose to his best friend's sister. In his defense, he wanted it to be perfect. And it was. He graciously asked Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, for the permission to use the Quidditch field. After it was granted, he filled the entire stadium with rose petals and candles, something Ron would never let him live down. They got engaged over the summer, so they were uninterrupted. The weather was great, as it always was at Hogwarts and when he removed Ginny's blindfold, she gasped. The ring was enclosed in an elaborate Snitch-like box. He didn't even have time to get down on one knee before she'd flung her arms around him.

The memory made Harry smile and he leaned in to press his lips to her cheek. She grinned at that and giggled, something very rare for Ginevra Weasley. "Harry." The 25 year old sat up and turned to straddle his waist, a mischievous glint in her eye. Harry couldn't help the goofy grin that appeared on his face. "You know what your lips do to me."

Harry laughed and nodded, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Of course I do, love. That's entirely the point." Ginny let out a loud laugh as he pulled her down onto the couch, her legs around his waist. They wasted no time ridding each other of their clothes, the light from the fireplace dancing upon their skin.

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"Late, late, late. I am so late!" Hermione practically jumped out of the cab as it came to a stop, grabbing her things and getting ready to head inside when the driver called her to his attention. She'd almost forgotten to pay him! "Sorry. I- uh…" She looked through the folded bills and handed him a hundred-dollar bill. "Keep the change. Thanks for the fast driving." She nearly ran to the door, flinging it open and almost bumping into a tall dark-haired woman. "Oh! Sorry!"

The woman regarding her with elegance and poise. She wore a tea dress and cardigan with her hair down over her shoulders. "Ms. Granger! There is no running in school, you know?"

"Huh? What?" Hermione moved a strand of curls from her face, looking at the teacher. "Oh! Yeah, no, I'm so sorry, Grace. It won't happen again."

"I'm only joking, Hermione. You really need to lighten up." The woman squeezed her shoulder gently and smiled. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to be meeting with Mrs. Wades in…." She checked her watch and made a face. "Five minutes ago. I've- I've never been to her office. I mean, I had a tour when-"

"Of course! I'll walk you over! School is almost out, so the children will be flooding this hallway in a few minutes." Grace walked the younger lady down the hall. "Might want to get to the principal's office before all that starts! Otherwise, you'll never meet with Allison." Hermione nodded and smiled. Grace Steinberg had a way of acting way too perky and honestly, it made the former Gryffindor on edge. She wasn't used to people being so happy. It wasn't until two minutes of silence passed that Hermione noticed Grace was looking at her oddly. She cleared her throat, snapping the woman out of her reverie. "I'm sorry, dear. It's just- Allison Wades is very particular about the people she meets with. I'm- I'm not sure you're dressed properly."

Hermione looked down at her clothes and realized she'd forgotten to change. Usually she would have been well presentable, in dress pants or a skirt, but not today. No, today she had to forget. She wore a pair of dark wash boyfriend jeans and a plain black t-shirt under a green utility military jacket. Her hair was up in a ponytail and she had on a pair of black sneakers. She frowned and then looked up at Grace. "I have nothing else to wear."

"Oh!" Grace gave her a tight-lipped smile before plastering a grin on her face. "Well, I'm sure Allison will make an exception for today." The bells rang just as they turned another corner and were immediately bombarded by noise. "Oh, I'm so sorry, dear. I have to go. I'm on bus duty today. The office is just down this corridor to your left. You can't miss it. It's all glass." She smiled and squeezed her shoulder again. "Good luck. I hope to see you again soon."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she watched the woman retreat down the opposite way they'd come. Honestly, the lady made it seem like the punishment for informal clothing was death. The children, ages 5-10 were running around, excited that the day had ended. Hermione smiled as she headed down the hall, towering over the little ones. She was about to make it to the office when she heard a squeal and she turned in time to catch the small body jumping into her arms. "Mama!"

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	2. Chapter 2

Hermione grinned widely as she pulled away slightly from her daughter's small frame, still holding her in her arms. "Hello, love. I've missed you today, you know." She bopped her on the nose gently, as she'd done so many times when she was a babe. "Did you have a good day at school today, Addie?" The young girl, only 5, nodded excitedly. Though not as excitedly as when she'd seen her mother. "That's good." Hermione stood and carried her in her arms, heading towards the office. "What did you learn today?"

"We did numbers!" Addie exclaimed with a grin. "I went all to- to…15!" The tiny human lifted both her hands up, fingers spread out. Upon realizing she was missing five, it took her a while to count, she grabbed her mother's free hand and made her open her palm. She grinned again. "15!"

"That's fantastic, darling. Remember we've been practicing at home." Hermione pecked her cheek as she reached the office where she could see Bran sitting on top of Allison's desk, full of charm and wit. Or so Hermione thought. Allison was currently laughing as if she'd never laughed before. She watched as the brunette female placed her hand on Bran's and shook her head with a smile. As Bran leaned forward, this is where she decided to intervene. She knocked on the door and waved as they looked over at her. Allison stood, a little flustered and ushered Brandon over to the door, which he opened. "Hello, Mr. McAllister, Mrs. Wades. I'm a smidge late, I'm so sorry. I got held up at work." She adjusted the five-year-old on her hip.

"Oh, nonsense!" Allison shook her head, clearly smitten with Brandon. "I had Mr. McAllister here to keep me company. He's actually quite funny, you know." She stepped aside to let Hermione in. "But I'm glad you're here, Mrs. Granger. Do come in." As Hermione passed by Bran, he held a thumbs up and snuck out.

"Ms." Hermione corrected, a fake smile on her lips. She had corrected her several times before. "I'm not married."

"No, of course not." The woman shook her head. The statement made Hermione livid, but she kept her cool. She was openly flirting with a member of her staff despite the fact she was married and she had the nerve to judge _her_. Hermione promised herself she would not engage; it would just lead to more problems. "Please, take a seat." She settled her daughter into a small chair, taking the tiny green backpack from her and pulling out a book.

"Here you go, love. Something to keep you busy while I speak with your principal." The little girl nodded and shifted in her seat.

"Okay, mummy." She opened the book and began to read it as best she could, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Hermione turned to Principal Wades and took a seat on the opposite side of the desk, crossing her legs. "I'm not sure if you're aware of why I've asked you to come in today, _Ms_. Granger." Allison took a seat across from Hermione, crossing her own legs and lacing her fingers together. Hermione stared at her, making it obvious that no, she did not know why she had been called in. "Okay. Well, you see, Elizabeth has been acting up a bit during class." This made Hermione sit up straight, a brow raised.

"Has she now?" She crossed her arms. "Has it been going on for a while?"

"Just a week or so. We thought maybe it was the kids she sat with, maybe they were influencing her. She's always been a good child, ever since she began schooling here in the beginning of the semester."

"Why did you wait so long to bring it to my attention?" Hermione was clearly annoyed. She turned her head slightly to watch her daughter, who was very deep into her reading, her nose stuck in the book.

"Well, it started off as drawings." Allison handed Hermione a folder with the name, ' _Elizabeth Adelinde Granger'_ written on a label in the corner. She opened the folder and tried to hide her surprise at the images. "We asked her where she saw these…horrid images and she couldn't exactly explain. It was dreams and photos and both. She brought up her father quite a lot, Ms. Granger." Hermione's head snapped up at the principal. "Yes, that worried me, too. I remember you saying he wasn't in the picture." There was a hint of judgement in Principal Wades' voice and it took all Hermione had in her not to roll her eyes.

She looked down at the drawing Addie had done and bit her lower lip. "He isn't, but that doesn't mean _Adelinde_ -" Hermione stressed the middle name. She knew how Addie hated to be called Elizabeth. "-does not know who her father is." She closed the folder. "Can I keep these?" The Principal nodded. "What else has she been doing?"

"She has these elaborate stories of castles and elfs. It distracts the children from their work. They are all already distracted enough as it is at their young age. Stories of pretend only hurt their learning process more." Hermione nodded at his. She completely disagreed, of course, but she couldn't argue about that now. She was sure this principal could make Addie's school day suck and Addie loved school. "She speaks of witches and wizards and giants." Allison laughed at this. "She has this idea in her head that someday she'll be whisked off to magic school!"

Hermione chuckled at this and shook her head. "Yes, she does have quite the imagination, doesn't she?" Hermione snuck another glance at Adelinde, happy to see she was swinging her feet and turning the page of the interactive book, blissfully unaware of the conversation happening before her. "I apologize for all the inconvenience, Principal Wades. I promise I will speak with Addie about these…drawings and I'll get her to tone down her stories, to at least wait until after school. I promise."

Allison seemed to be happy to hear that as a grin appeared on her face. "Excellent. Then there should be no problem." Hermione's smile faltered a bit at that, but she caught herself and nodded. "Good. Now, why don't I show you the way out?"

"Oh, no, please." Hermione said as she stood, listening to Addie zip up her backpack. "I'm sure I can find the way out myself. Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention." Hermione took hold of Addie's hand and headed for the door, the very obvious glass door. She pushed it open and was about to head out when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Oh, Hermione, darling. Don't forget that it's your turn to organize the bake sale this Friday. The other mothers are already asking why you haven't sent them notice of what to bring." Hermione shrugged her hand off her shoulder as politely as she could and smiled.

"Of course I haven't forgotten; I'll send the list this evening." Allison smiled and returned to her desk, giving Hermione the chance to finally get out of there. She headed out of the school just as Bran passed by in his car.

"Need a lift?" He leaned over in his seat, smiling widely. Hermione nodded, happy to see a friendly face. "Come on in, Addie." There was no need to tell her twice as she raced to the car and flung open the back door, moving to the middle seat. "Make sure you buckle up." The soft click told him she had as Hermione entered the car with a sigh, slipping the seat belt over her own body. "That bad, huh?"

"I don't know how you can stand working for her, Bran. She's the absolute worse!" Hermione placed her hands over her face. "At least she didn't comment on my clothing. Grace did and apparently the janitorial staff is dressed better than me."

"Oh, you know that's not true." He shook his head, making a turn. "Besides, Grace is a right foul bitch when she doesn't have her tongue up Wades' ass." Hermione slapped him across the stomach, hard and pointed to the backseat. "Sorry." She turned to look at Addie, who was fast asleep and smiled. "She was tired from all the counting today."

"How'd she do?" Hermione asked, looking at him. Brandon McAllister was an elementary math teacher and was quite good at his job. He smiled.

"She did great. Not many of the students could get up to 15. You'll be pleased to know that there were only two and she was the first one." This did please Hermione, for as far as she was from home, she would always be the same bookworm. She fingered the folder in her lap, obviously nervous. "Is that the drawings? I swear I didn't know. Otherwise, I would have told you. Allison explained it to me when I spotted them sitting on her desk."

"It's fine." Hermione shrugged and then twisted her lips. "I mean, it's not fine. I- I don't like these drawings. I don't like what they could mean."

"What they could mean? Hermione, she's five. It means she has an overactive imagination." He shook his head at her and she sighed. Of course he would think that, the muggle.

"I'm sorry, you're right. It's just- I'm learning along as I go, you know? I don't have anyone helping me and this- this is weird, even for me." She frowned and stared out the window. "I don't know. I just have the feeling something bad is going to happen and I can't shake it off."

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Granger, get your head out of the gutter." He took her hand in his and she pulled it away quickly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"No, it's okay." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "It just caught me off guard."

After a few more minutes of driving, the car finally came to a stop in front of a beautiful townhouse. It was the finest thing Hermione owned, and the only thing she'd used her war reparation money on. The rest was sat untouched in Gringotts. Hermione wasn't sold on the idea of a townhome instead of an apartment, especially if she was going to be using her new money. However, the need for a fireplace for emergencies was greater than her pride and she'd bought the place after little deliberation. Hermione pushed open the door to the car and smiled. "Thank you, Bran." She leaned in and pecked his cheek before exiting the car and opening the passenger door. She unbuckled Adelinde and scooped her up in her arms, her head resting on her shoulder. She took the little backpack and closed the door, waving at her friend.

Hermione made her way up the stairs and pulled the keys out from her bag, unlocking the door and heading inside. She dropped the bag on the couch along with the folder and made her way up the stairs towards Addie's room. She lay her down gently, pulling the covers over her. Hermione admired the little thing. She had a head full of curly, curly, dirty blonde hair. It was as if it couldn't decide between mother and father and went straight down the middle. Her eyes, though closed now, were icy grey. Most mothers adored their child's eyes and while Hermione did, as a young mother she would cry at the sight of them. A painful reminder. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead before looking at the photo framed on the nightstand. It wasn't the only photo of him in the home, but it was the nicest one. Hermione had gotten a house elf to sneak if from his home before she left the country. It was important to her that her daughter knew who her father was, even if he didn't know her. So Hermione spoke to her about him.

Adelinde always gave her mother 100% of the attention when it came time to speak about her father. Her eyes were wide and gleeful as Hermione told her stories. A few of them made up, a few of them toned down. She stood from the bed and headed down the steps to the living room, opening the folder again once more. The first drawing was the worst. Adelinde had a good eye for detail, apparently. However, this was one piece she wished she could keep from her. Hermione sat down on the sofa as the conversation with the principal sprang fresh in her mind. The drawings sprawled out on the coffee table for her to properly take a look at. Yet, it was the first one that she kept going back to. Tears filled her eyes as she sank back into the sofa, a pain in her chest, and a drawing of the dark mark in her hand.

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He'd watched her enter the home from across the street. He noticed the man in the vehicle, deciding to keep a close eye on him. Disguised as a dog, no one paid him much attention. He stayed all the rest of the day, watching, waiting. He stayed even when she'd left the house, child in hand and when they'd returned holding matching pair of ice cream cones and hats. His eyes never once left the house. It was dark when he decided to stray closer to the home, pawing his way up the stairs. At the entrance, he returned to his human form, his eyes darker than before. He reached a hand out to touch the door and cursed silently at the sudden heat it emitted. He looked to his hand, watching the burning skin heal itself. "Smart little witch." His voice was almost inhuman, with deeper tones. "I'll get in there somehow, Ms. Granger. I'm a man of determination."

Upstairs, Hermione slept with her arms curled protectively around Addie, blissfully unaware of the danger lurking just outside their door.

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A/N There are several reasons why I decided to not have Scorpius be their first born. I was really torn, but in the end Adelinde seemed like the right choice. I hope you all enjoy chapter 2! Please Review!

Love, Harley


	3. Chapter 3

A/N I honestly wasn't entirely sure whether I wanted to upload this chapter so soon already, but what the hell, I'm nearing the end of Chapter 6 and I'm feeling generous! So here you go! I hope you all enjoy Chapter 3! Please Review. They're so helpful!

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The light streamed through the window, illuminating the two forms on the bed. One much bigger than the other, still fast asleep. The other, the smaller one, lay awake, a picture frame in hand. Hermione stirred at the sound of Adelinde's voice, opening her eyes slowly. "And then I got to 15!" She sounded excited and Hermione smiled as she realized she was speaking to her father's photo. Oh, her father. Hermione sat up just as Addie leaned in and pressed a kiss to the picture before setting it down again. "Mama!" She jumped happily into her mother's arms, smothering her with kisses. Hermione giggled, wrapping her arms around her small frame.

"Good morning, little dragon. How long have you been awake for?" She lay the child in her arms as if she was still a baby, cradling her. Addie shrugged, truly not knowing how long it'd been. Hermione smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Well, what did you want for breakfast today? It's Saturday!"

"Saturday!" Addie sat up at that, her arms on either side of her mother's face. "Saturday!" She repeated. The start of the weekend was their favorite day. Hermione didn't work and they often spent the whole day further uptown, walking around Central Park or going to museums. It was always a wonderful day for the two of them and it started off with breakfast. "Mama, I wanna go to the zoo!"

"The zoo! What a wonderful idea, little one!" Hermione grinned, lifting them both off the bed, not as easy as when she was two. She held her in her arms, heading to the bathroom. "The zoo it is, then. And we'll take our time." She put the little girl down on the small stool in front of the sink, watching her go for her toothbrush at the same time as her mother. In the exact same mannerisms, they took their toothpaste, squished some in the brush, spit in the sink, turned on the faucet, and rinsed the brush just a tad. Hermione smiled as they both brought the toothbrush to their mouth and started cleaning the left side first. Addie looked up at her with the same smile.

Soon after, they were downstairs, The younger of the two jumping on her toes from the excitement of breakfast. Addie loved breakfast. "Pancakes! No, egg! No, pancakes!" Hermione chuckled and took out the box of eggs and the box of pancakes. "Yeah, both!"

"Did you want to help me, little one?" Hermione asked, bringing up another small stool so Addie could reach the counter. The child nodded and stepped up, taking a clear bowl from the clean dishes and a whisk. "Okay, so pancakes it is. Remember, you have to get all the lumps out." Hermione poured the flour in and then the milk, kissing the top of her head. She put the items back in the refrigerator and began cracking three eggs into a bowl, turning on the stove and placing a pan over it. She kept her back to Addie, keeping an ear out, trusting her. It wasn't the first time she'd whisked pancakes. Hermione poured the eggs into the pan, watching the bottoms begin to color for a moment.

"Mama! Mama, look!" Addie sounded super excited, yet Hermione's smile fell once she turned around.

"Bloody hell…." Hermione whispered, taking in the sight before her. Addie stood in front of the bowl of batter, the whisk moving furiously, but she wasn't touching it. It moved on its own, removing the lumps of batter and lifting to let it drop out before whisking again. Almost suddenly, it seemed to lose control, whisking so quickly that the bowl broke, sending batter flying everywhere. Addie screamed and ran to her mother, the whisk dropping immediately in place and moving no more. Hermione held her tightly, her eyes closed. She willed the tears to leave her eyes. Not now. Not so soon. Please, Merlin, not so soon.

The fire alarm broke her silent prayer and she moved Addie out of the way, taking hold of the burning pan of eggs. "Shit!" She removed her hand, looking down at the red skin before taking a glove and grabbing the handle again, shoving the burned eggs in the trash and the pan under cold water. She removed the glove angrily, tossing it aside. She gripped the edge of the sink tightly, her knuckles white as she tried to take in what just happened. Her lips were in a tight line and as much as she tried, a soft sob escaped her lips, a tear flowing down her cheek. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not yet. Not like this. Hermione wiped her eyes and turned to her daughter, who had tears of her own flowing down her cheeks as she huddled in a corner.

"I'm sorry, mama. I'm sorry."

"Oh, Addie." Hermione knelt down, beckoning her daughter to her. The little girl moved slowly, crawling into her mother's arms. Hermione held her protectively. "No, hush, little dragon. It's okay. It's okay. Mama was just scared. It's not your fault." Addie began to cry, then, overwhelmed. "Shhhh, love, shhh. It's okay. It's going to be okay." She pulled the little girl away some and wiped the tears from the small cheeks. "It just means that one day….one day you're going to be a very, very, powerful little girl." Hermione smiled, although her own eyes brimmed with tears. "It'll just have to be our little secret. Just between us, okay?" Addie nodded at that. "Don't tell anyone, Adelinde. Not your friends, not your teachers. The stories stop now, okay?" Again, she nodded and Hermione smiled, bringing her back into a very strong hug. "Now let's clean this up and we'll go get some breakfast uptown, okay?" Addie nodded a third time, wiping her eyes and Hermione smiled. "Give mummy a kiss." Her child wrapped her arms around Hermione's neck and pecked her lips gently. Hermione smiled and held her again. "I love you, little one. I love you, so, so much."

XXXXXX

The Burrow was abuzz with people on this Saturday. Ginny looked up at the clock with more than 9 faces on it now that Fleur and Victoire had been added. It was just after 1 pm. She and Harry had arrived just in time to help Her parents finish cooking and setting up. Saturday's were always busy. It was when the entire family got together for lunch at the Burrow at 2 pm. This meant all of her siblings, including Charlie and Percy, their partners or spouses, any grandchildren, which was only one for the time being, and surprisingly, when they weren't busy with work, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. Neville had met Ronald out in the middle of a coffee run when Ron invited him over, claiming everyone would be so happy to see him; and they were. Molly couldn't stop commenting on how well he's filled out. She was so proud. That was three years ago. He came round the house every Saturday of the summer when he wasn't at Hogwarts. Neville had begun to date Hannah Abbot a little over a year ago. She was beautiful and blonde and the kindest person they'd ever met. She worked well with Neville and it helped that she was working alongside Madame Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks. Neville visited her often enough.

Luna had bumped into Ginny in Diagon Alley, so the red head invited her over for lunch. Again, the whole family had been ecstatic to see her and see how she'd been doing, even Neville. Eventually, they both found partners and they still came around. Luna brought Rolf Scamander and just two months into their relationship, they announced their engagement. They got married another four months later. It was a beautiful, outdoor wedding and both of them were barefoot. Ginny was the maid of honor and helped add the flowers to Luna's hair. It had gone perfectly.

Ginny smiled as the fireplace roared to life and Fleur walked through, carrying her 1 and a half year old niece in her arms. "Fleur!" Ginny walked forward to greet her, taking the toddler from her arms. The fireplaced roared once more and Bill stepped through, carrying a pot of roast. "William!" Ginny leaned in to hug her brother, a grin on her lips. "You lot are early! No one's arrived yet. Mum is still upstairs getting ready. Dad's in the shed, working on this muggle….television?"

Bill chuckled, placing the pot roast in the middle of the table. "I'll go check up on him and make sure he's alright." He exited through the back door, calling out for his father. Ginny could hear the two men greet one another and smiled, looking at Victoire.

"Hello, gorgeous." She grinned, kissing Victoire's cheek. The toddler giggled, playing with her aunt's fiery red hair. Fleur moved up the stairs to go find her mother-in-law, passing Harry on the way. They greeted each other warmly and went on their ways. As Harry descended the stairs, he watched his fiancée interact with the child, watching them both giggle. He stayed silent and watched them play, loving the way she looked with a baby in her arms. He couldn't wait to marry her. Even though children were on the back burner due to his career as an Auror and hers as a chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. Ginny looked up at the stairway and smiled at him. "She gets cuter every time I see her."

"I agree." Harry nodded, heading over to sit beside her. "Hello, sweetie." He held out his hand in a high five and Victoire giggled, giving him one. "Good job!" He chuckled, his arm over Ginny's shoulder. Ginny leaned her head on his shoulder as Victoire lay her head to sleep. Someday. Someday, they'd have a child of their own.

By two in the afternoon, nearly everyone had shown up. Neville and Hannah arrived after Bill and Fleur, causing a frenzy as they all took a look at her hand. A gorgeous silver banded, pink princess stone. They were both grinning at the remarks from their friends and very happy, they assured everyone. Percy arrived after with a very pregnant Penelope Clearwater, greeting his family and congratulating Neville. At this point, Bill had placed Victoire in the small cot by the stairs. Charlie arrived next, alone, but smiling, happy to see his family and friends. Luna and Rolf arrived after, George not far behind.

They were all sat around the enlarged table, speaking excitedly, happy to be together again. It was a special time. Neville had just been let out for Christmas break, so he had the next two weeks off. He was extremely excited. "Where is Ron?" Neville looked around the table and they all laughed. "Am I missing something here?"

"Apparently, Mr. Weasley has found himself a girlfriend." Charlie grinned, leaning back on the chair's hind legs, ignoring his mother's shocked look. "He told me last night at the pub."

"Charles Weasley, what pub are you taking your brother to? You know I don't approve of those kind of influences on him." Molly raised a brow at her eldest son, who grinned cheekily at her.

"Relax, mother. I made sure your precious child was safe. He didn't throw up anything last night." Charlie wiped away a fake tear. "And that makes me so proud." This earned a good laugh from around the table, even Molly, who recalled the first time Ronald had gotten truly smashed and in front of his mother, no less. It had been a sight to behold. He was a hilarious drunk, honestly. After an hour or so, no one could find him, until Bill had good sense to check the shed. Ronald lay on the grass, snoring his head off, a pool of vomit beside him. No one was allowed to move him until Ginny got her camera.

The fireplace roared to life and the all looked at each other, some nervous, some excited. Ron appeared at the doorway, clearly more nervous than anyone. His left hand was behind him and Ginny smiled. "Hi." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"No more than usual." Ginny shrugged, sending a knowing grinning at him. She leaned forward, her chin in her palms. "What's your excuse this time?"

Ron licked his lips, pulling someone along as he moved from the doorway. Ginny sat up straight, a look of shock crossing her face. She knew the woman in the doorway. A tall, blonde haired woman with deep green eyes and a nervous smile. She wore a pair of casual jeans, a blouse, and a pair of flats. Her hair was up in a ponytail. This woman had patched her up several times through the beginning of Ginny's Quidditch career. She seemed shy. Ginny noted how Ronald stood protectively in front of her, their fingers interlaced and she smiled at that. "Everyone, this is Daphne. Daphne Greengrass." Molly was grinning already, while most of the men smirked at that. The poor girl was going to be interrogated. "She's a healer, a great one. And she's my girlfriend."

"Ooooh!" Molly squealed and jumped up, pushing her husband down the table. "Arthur, move. Daphne must sit by me." The man in question looked up from his newspaper and sighed, shifting his chair down as the table grew to accommodate one more. He stood, so Ronald could sit with his girlfriend and moved to the opposite side of the table, next to Ginny. "Come, dearie, come." Molly waved her over and the girl moved her way. It was almost shocking, the amount of grace with which she walked. Daphne sat beside Molly and Ronald beside her.

The blonde looked down the table and smiled. "Ronald told me how many of you there were. It's just so different to see it in person."

Molly was leaning in, her fingers clasped together under her chin, her spectacles on the bridge of her nose. "You didn't have a big family, then, I presume?"

"Not at all." Daphne crossed her legs and still somehow made herself look taller. Ginny was slightly envious of that. Still, she smiled at the girl who'd been in Harry's year. "It was just my father and Astoria and I. Mother died when we were young and….Astoria-a few years ago."

Ron took her hand in his and she squeezed it gently. He knew how painful speaking of her only sibling was. He looked at the faces of his family. "Astoria was wounded at the Battle of Hogwarts." Harry looked sick, his gaze kept down at his plate. "She didn't make it."

Daphne smiled sadly and mouthed, "Thank you," before turning to them all. "I miss her dearly, but I know she'd want me to be happy. And I am." She used her free hand to place it on Ron's shoulder, rubbing it gently. She grinned and then looked at Molly. "You've raised a wonderful man, you know. No matter how childish, at times. He makes me happier than I've been in a long time."

Ron flushed deeply at that, but grinned. The entire family seemed to be proud and happy and also itching to tease him about it. He watched the others and shook his head. "Don't act so surprised. I can be romantic!" This earned a laugh from around the table and Victoire joined in, causing them to laugh some more. "Well, come on! I'm starving!"

"You always are." Ginny joked, taking the bowl of greens and adding it to her plate. The rest of the afternoon passed in laughter and happiness, plates being passed over and under one another's arms. By the time the lunch was over and everyone headed out for the day, it was clear. Ron had found his match.

XXXXXX

Brandon McAllister was grinning as he made his way through the park. He'd just set up his date with Hermione Granger and he was excited. It would be tomorrow evening at 7. He was already making plans. He had to go pick her up, they had to go to Tony's. Then maybe a walk in the park. If he was lucky, he'd earn a kiss. Bran shook his head. Hermione had only agreed to go out with him if he stalled Allison. But it was a first step, he hoped. This date had to cement how charming and kind he was. It had to. He went through a wind in the road, just noticing how dark it had gotten.

A shiver ran up his spine and he stopped, looking around him. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He chastised himself for his fear. This was New York. There were people everywhere, the chances of him being watched were extremely high. Of him being hurt? Hopefully not as high. He made his way past the stage and box office where they normally held Shakespeare in the Park and passed the bathrooms. He stopped again when he noticed a huddled figure on the grass. It seemed to be shaking and whining. His brows furrowed in worry.

"Hello? Are you alright?" He took a few steps forward, his arms around himself as the snow began to fall again. "Hello?" The figure stood up and he jumped back as it transformed from a dog to a person. "What the hell?!" He didn't have time to run. Even if he had, it wouldn't have been much help.


	4. Chapter 4

The classical music flitted out through the open windows. The city was mostly quiet in this block. Hermione sat on a chair, a painted canvas in front of her. Her brown hair was up in a messy bun. She wore a beige button down shirt, which was covered in splashes of paint and slim jeans that were just the same. Her feet were bare. Adelinde looked an exact copy of her mother, save for the hair and eyes. She wore the same uniform but in her size. Hermione grinned as the child wiped fake sweat from her brow, smearing paint on her face in the process. She herself had a smidge of paint on her right cheek. There was little difference between the two except that the mother painted with brushes, while Addie preferred the tools at the end of her hands. "Hmm….something's missing from this painting, don't you think, Elizabeth?"

The child giggled. "Nooooo, it's Addie!" She jumped up from her seat to stand by her mother and scrutinize the painting with narrowed eyes. She tilted her head and Hermione waited. Addie gasped and looked up at her mother. "I know! You should add grey, like daddy's eyes. Right there." Hermione tilted her head to look at the painting as her daughter saw it. They always painted on Sundays and most of the time, they didn't take it so seriously. So, Hermione looked down at her palette of colors and chose the closest grey she could find. Which, honestly, wasn't very close. His eyes were distinct. The very best thing about him were his eyes. No color on earth could match them.

Hermione was not in love with Elizabeth Adelinde's father. She shuddered at just the thought, but she wasn't blind. His eyes were wonderful to look at. "Finished. What about you, Love?" The child in question grinned at the new addition of color to her mother's canvas before returning to her own masterpiece. It was different colored hands and flowers. It was swirls and rainbows and unsurprisingly, dragons. Tiny, little things floating throughout. Without a good eye, you probably wouldn't be able to tell. She stood, wiping her hands on her jeans. "Snack time?"

"Yes, please, mummy!" She spoke without looking up from her work, her tongue sticking out to one side, brow furrowed in concentration. Hermione ruffled her hair as she walked past, getting smudges of paint in it. She walked through the connecting doorway into the kitchen, opening the fridge.

"Alright, love. We've got apples-"

"-only green!"

"-We've got berries-"

"-Blue!"

"-we have strawberries."

"All of them, mummy!" Hermione chuckled and took a bowl out, dumping a bunch of blueberries out and making a face. She hated blueberries. In her opinion, they were the worst of all the berries. She wasn't so fond of blackberries, either, and luckily, neither was Addie. She took out a small knife, dicing the green apple and cutting the strawberries in half. She added them to the bowl of blueberries and grabbed a cup of water, heading back into the living room. She set the bowl down in front of Addie, who immediately shoved four blueberries in her mouth. Hermione shivered at that and Addie giggled. "They're nutrisis."

"They're gross." Hermione made a face, dropping herself onto the plastic-covered couch, spreading her legs out. The little girl moved over to her mother and settled into the extra space in the couch, semi-sitting up so she could eat her fruit. She picked up a strawberry and offered it to Hermione, who opened her mouth. She bit the fruit and giggled, wrapping an arm around her little one's waist.

"Mama, can you tell me a story?" Those soft grey eyes looked up at her with innocence. Hermione settled into the couch, swallowing the strawberry. She looked at her daughter expectantly. Addie rarely asked for a story without knowing which one she wanted. "A daddy story."

She gasped, smiling. "A daddy story! Those are always fun. What story about your father did you want?"

"Something….new." She smiled at her and moved a stray hair out of Addie's face. "Something pretty." Hermione nibbled on her lower lip, her mind racing with all of the memories she spent with him. There weren't very many that were pretty. There weren't very many at all, actually. She definitely couldn't tell her of the night she was conceived. Although, really, that was the prettiest. A small shiver ran up her spine as she recalled the feel of his fingers over her skin. "Cold, mama?"

Hermione chuckled. "Just a little bit." Adelinde put the empty bowl down and cuddled up to her mother. "Much better." Her arms wrapped around her fully as she contemplated where to start. Should she make something up? Or should she bend the truth a little? She twisted her lips as she thought. "Okay. How about I tell you about the time he gave me his handkerchief outside the Yule Ball?"

"Whats that?" She shifted, clearly curious.

"A handkerchief is a cloth napkin and a Yule Ball is a dance." Hermione smiled and began to tell the story. It wasn't exactly a lie. He did hand her a handkerchief after he found her crying on the stone steps. Her eyes had been red and blotchy and her shoes had been kicked off to a side. Others went around her, ignoring her, but he didn't. Of course, he never did ignore her. He didn't say much, he just took the cloth out of his pocket and handed it to her. When she'd looked at him in shock, his exact words were, _'I may be a prat, but it's ungentlemanly to not hand a crying girl a handkerchief._ ' That was nice, she supposed. Of course, he'd followed it up with, ' _Don't bother giving it back. I mean it.'_

Hermione told the story with a smile, running her fingers through Addie's hair, embellishing a bit in certain parts. By the time she'd finished, the young girl was asleep, her arm hanging over the couch. Hermione smiled and shifted so she could lay under her daughter's sleeping form and then proceeded to take a nap herself.

XXXXXX

He groaned as he turned over, falling to her side. She giggled, using the sheets to cover her breasts, as if it made any difference. He closed his eyes, willing her to go away. The fingers sliding up his leg told him the silent prayer hadn't worked. His hand snatched out and took hold of hers. "No more. I have to get ready for work." He shoved her hand aside and sat up, stretching. She admired his form, fit and tight. She shifted over to him and lay a hand over his shoulder and on his chest.

"You sure you have to go?" She spoke with a pout, her lips on the back of his neck. He made a face and moved her arm from him. He stood without another word, grabbing a towel from a drawer and opening the bathroom door. "Want some company?"

"Go home, Emily. I need some peace." He snapped, shutting the door in her face.

Less than an hour later, he'd arrived just in time. He stepped out of the fireplace as the green flames disappeared from his person. He brushed off imaginary soot as he made his way through the crowd. The Ministry of Magic sang with noise. People were moving left and right, trying to get to the floos before anyone else, trying to get to the phone booths before anyone else. He'd already been bumped into several times. He never waited for an apology, they usually never came. Not because people didn't try to apologize, they usually did. It's just, upon seeing his face, they'd fall silent, frightened. He didn't quite mind it, either. It meant less and less idiots spoke to him. He walked quickly to the lifts, a briefcase in one hand. He ran a hand through his hair, which was just the perfect cut, and leaned against the wall of the lift. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a plain white t-shirt under a black leather jacket. He always was, though. His job did not allow him to be so constrained. You see, Draco Malfoy was a Hit Wizard. It hadn't been the job he was going for, but it's where he ended up and now, he couldn't see himself doing anything else. He closed his eyes and waited for the lift to move once more. It was surprising to many that he didn't need to hold on for balance, but not for the man who entered the lift next.

Blaise smiled at his partner, throwing his briefcase at him with force. Unsurprisingly, Draco caught it mid-air, opening his eyes. "Really? My nan throws harder than you and she's dead." Blaise chuckled and moved in to stand beside him. He wore a similar outfit to his friend, except his shirt was a deep blue. "How was last night? Did you get the idiot?"

"You doubt my abilities?" Blaise teased, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall of the lift. "Of course I caught him. He was almost too easy. It seems the Apple didn't fall far from the tree. Goyle Sr. is almost as stupid as his son was." The doors to the lift opened again before it had the chance to depart and the raven haired boy and ginger walking in cleared their throat, barely acknowledging their school rivals. "Good morning, Mr. Potter." Blaise's voice was thick and full of venom. Nearly eight years later and they were still just as good friends as at Hogwarts. The difference was that once they stepped onto their floor, the auror and hit wizards offices were on the same level, they became a tad more civil. They were as professional as they could be and focused on their work, ignoring the other duo unless they had no choice but to work together.

Harry and Draco were often paired up together if need be, there was no way that he could be trusted alone with Ron. The two held horrible grudges against one another. Ron couldn't even hear the blonde speak without his blood boiling. Blaise was more civil with the ginger as they never really spoke in school anyways. But Potter, precious Potter.

"Zabini." Harry replied curtly, his shoulders tense already. He looked down at his watch. "We've got about five minutes before work begins, did you have anything you needed to say?"

"I simply wanted to thank you for your ignorance." The dark-skinned man spoke smoothly, calmly now. "If it hadn't been for your ineptitude and utter lack of attention and grace, this case wouldn't have landed in our laps." Draco watched with a smirk on his lips as Weasley's hand clenched into a fist, their backs still to them. "And then we wouldn't have had the chance to solve it in three days, what took you months to get halfway."

At this Ron whipped around, his wand out and pointed at them. Draco rose a brow, his arms still crossed. Harry turned his hand on Ron's shoulder. Draco smirked, standing up straight, towering over the two of them. "Something to say?"

"You know as well as I do, Malfoy-" Ron spat his name out. "-that you're as crooked as they come. If you had any luck solving the case, it's because you already knew where Goyle was. You can pretend to be innocent in front of the entire wizarding world, but not in front of us. We know you, both of you. You gits have somehow got the whole world fooled."

"That's enough, Ron." Harry interjected, pulling his wand down. It wasn't that he didn't want to argue with the two. He would give his left arm to be able to punch Malfoy to a pulp with his right one. But Harry wasn't violent, not one bit. So he suppressed the urge. He stopped Ron for two reasons. One was that he didn't honestly think it could be worth it. Malfoy would continue to stay on as a Hit Wizard and Ronald would stay angry, no matter what. The second reason, and the most important one, was that even though the ginger hadn't noticed, Draco had slipped his wand into his grip. His knuckles white over the slick stick. Harry had noticed the man tense up and could see the will to strike in his icy grey eyes. No matter what anyone thought, it was clear to him. Draco Malfoy was a dangerous man. He didn't take accusations lightly.

"Yes, you might want to listen to your girlfriend, Weasley." Malfoy snapped, taking a step forward. "Or I'll give you a second scar to add to your growing collection." Harry jumped in the middle as Ron lunched forward and Draco laughed coldly. Yes, from all the scars on Ron's body, there was one Draco was most proud of. The only one he inflicted. He remembered that day, finally get the chance to beat Weasley up so bad he caused a permanent scar to form on that pale face, around his left temple. It had landed Draco on probation and even in handcuffs as Potter dragged him to the Minister's office. He ran his tongue over his teeth at the memory, his eyes cold. Harry suppressed the urge to shiver at the look.

The four had been working a case, searching for former Death Eaters when one of them messed up. It wasn't clear exactly who had fucked up the situation because each duo blamed the other, but Blaise ended up on the receiving end of a curse. It had come from a group of death eaters who were mid-escape. One of those death eaters was Goyle Sr. Draco was livid that his partner had been hurt and instantly blamed Ron. The latter denied it was his fault, he could remember.

" _You cost us the case, you idiot! If you had been paying attention instead of fantasizing about all of your whores!" Ron snapped as the final death eater left. Draco spun around at him, glaring daggers._

" _That's rich coming from you, you filthy ginger! You can't get your head out of the gutter to save your life!" He'd snapped back. He was very sure they sounded like their schoolyard selves again, but at this point, he didn't care. His partner was hurt, Harry attempting to tend to his wounds and send out a distress call to get some healers there. "If he dies, this is on you, Weasley. I swear I will kill you."_

" _Try me, Malfoy! Lay one finger on me and I'll-"_

" _And you'll what? You couldn't even hang on to your Gryffindor Princess, she had to come fall into my bed!"_

" _Shut up!" Ron lunged at him, dropping him to the ground and getting in a few punches before Draco managed to get the upper hand, his lip busted and bleeding, but he didn't seem to care. This fight had been a long time coming. Years of pent up aggression and anger came out. There seemed to be no signs of stopping. Suddenly, Malfoy was thrown off of Ron, smacking into one of the walls. He growled as he stood, but Potter sent another spell his way, binding his hands together._

 _That was how the Minister of Magic found them, with Ronald out cold, his head split open, Blaise groaning from the spell as he came to and two very angry rivals. That was the first and last time Ron and Draco were allowed to work a case together, no matter who else was involved.'_

The lift doors opened before either men could make a move and Malfoy's wand slipped back into his arm holster. Ronald pocketed his own wand and turned, stepping out with Harry. Draco and Blaise straightened their shoulders and headed out after them, ignoring the looks as they made their way to their office.

Draco sighed as he took a seat, his head in hands. "I'm gonna kill him, Blaise. One of these days, I'm not going to be able to control myself and I will kill him."

Blaise took a deep breath, crossing his arms and looking out the window, down at the bustling people of the ministry. "Unless I get to him first."

XXXXXX

It was a knock on the door that awoke her. She jolted upright, rubbing her eyes before realizing Adelinde was no where in sight. "Addie?" She called out, swinging her legs off of the couch. "Adelinde, where are you?" She pushed the covers off of her, standing up straight. She headed into the kitchen, where Addie sat transfixed on the tv, her chin in hand.

"Mama!" The little girl grinned, sitting up straight. "You're awake!"

Hermione let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, chuckling softly. "Love, how many times have I told you not to leave the room when I'm asleep? You should have woken me."

"Sorry, mama. I just wanted some milk." She pointed to the empty glass in front of her.

Another knock on the door and Hermione shook her head. "Stay right there, Addie. I mean it."

"Okay." The little Granger murmured as she picked up the control, flipping channels. Hermione ran a hand over her hair, pulling it out of its messy ponytail. She ran her fingers through it and opened the door, smiling widely.

"Bran! What are you doing here? It's so early."

The man wore a look of confusion and looked down at his watch. "It's seven o'clock, Ms. Granger. Unless I'm running on England time."

"Oh!" She chuckled and placed a hand on her forehead. "I am so sorry, Brandon. I truly am. I fell asleep a few hours ago. I haven't got the sitter or any clean clothes on. I haven't even showered." She made a face, biting her lower lip. "Is there any way we can take a rain check?"

He chuckled and crossed his arms, leaning on the railing. "Or you could invite me inside and I can cook you and your little girl some dinner?" He looked mighty impressively, if she did say so herself. However, she hesitated, looking behind her and into what she could see of the kitchen, catching Addie flipping the channels again. "Come on, Granger. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

Hermione but her lip again before letting out a sigh and smiling. "Okay, sure. Why not?" She swung the door open and stepped aside. He hesitated for a moment before stepping in, looking around the place with a whistle. "If you want, you can hang in the living room. Just give me a moment to catch Addie up to speed, okay?" He nodded and she smiled, leading him into the living room and heading into the kitchen herself. "Sweetie?" She tilted her head at Addie, who seemed entirely focused on the tv. Her brows furrowed in confusion and she chuckled at how spaced out her child could get. "Love, what are you-" she froze as she turned to the program, her smile leaving her face.

"We interrupt your scheduled programming with breaking news. It has just been confirmed that the body found early this morning in Central Park has been positively identified as Brandon McAllister, an elementary teacher in Downtown Manhattan."

XXXXXX

A/N Hope you all enjoyed Chapter 4! I know I did! I've decided that as long as I'm at least two chapters ahead, I will post to my heart's content. (And hopefully yours) Please, review! Love, Harley Loading...Show more notes


	5. Chapter 5

A/N Warning: There is VIOLENCE in this chapter.

XXXXXX

If someone had walked into the Granger residence 15 minutes after 7, there would have been screaming. How do you not scream at the sight of an unconscious 26-year-old woman? Hermione had deep scratches and cuts over her body. Blood dripped from her nose and ears. There had definitely been a struggle. Everything was overturned as if it'd been kicked over. The glass coffee table shattered, as well as the television in the kitchen. The door had been blown off its hinges and lay in the hallway. There was no sign of anyone else throughout the home. How exactly did she get here?

 _Hermione froze as she looked at the television, backing up until her back hit the island counter. She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes, dread thumping through her veins. No. No, this didn't make any sense. Brandon wasn't dead. Brandon was here. He was in her living room. He was alive, he was in her…. Hermione turned to her daughter, pulling her off of the stool and onto the ground, kneeling beside her. She took her hands in her own. "Addie. Addie, love, I need you to listen to me." The little girl looked down at her mother and nodded, opening her mouth to speak. "No, don't say anything. I don't want you to say anything. I need you to be absolutely silent. Okay, love? We're gonna play the quiet game. And you need to be very, very quiet. Do you remember the place mummy told you to go to when you're alone?" Addie thought for a second and then nodded. "Okay, sweetheart, I need you to go. I need you to run. I need-" her voice broke. "Please, love. For mummy. I need you to hide." Adelinde nodded, clearly frightened herself. She pulled her daughter into a tight hug and pressed her lips to her temple. "When I tell you to, you run. Okay?"_

" _Okay." It was a whisper, the smallest one. Hermione smiled slightly and stood, wiping her eyes and turning to face the entrance to the living room. She took a deep breath and headed out of the kitchen._

 _He was nowhere in sight. Brandon or whoever the hell it was, he was nowhere in sight. "Hello?" Hermione wrapped her arms around herself, silently cursing. She'd been an idiot. How could she be so stupid as to leave her wand upstairs? Danger lurked in every corner, she should know that by now. No matter how trusting she got, no matter how comfortable she got. She swallowed the uncomfortable lump in her throat and tilted her head, looking down the hallway. "Hello? Brandon?"_

 _The hair on her back stood straight and Hermione whipped around, towards the entrance of the home. "You call for your friend." His skin began to bubble and Hermione took a step back, watching the polyjuice potion wear off, watching him return to his normal state. He wasn't someone she knew, but he knew her and that thought alone made her skin crawl. "But we both know he's dead, don't we?" The hair stood up on her arms and her blood ran cold. His voice, it was a deep, deep voice. Not human._

" _Who are you?" She managed to get out, standing protectively in the doorway, concealing her daughter from view. "What do you want?"_

" _I want the child. I want your girl." Hermione squared her shoulders, her chest heaving as she fought to control the fear creeping through her veins. "There's no use in fighting me, mudblood. I. will. win." The man, this monster, spat at her and she jumped, taking a step back. Her eyes scanned the room and she noted the knife sitting on the hall coffee table. If only she could get to it. He chuckled as he followed her line of sight. "You're going to make this fun for me, aren't you? I was hoping you would."_

" _Like hell I am." Hermione ran for the table, her hands outstretched in front of her, reaching for the knife. He ran, too, and with a bigger build and longer legs, he got there first. His hand shot out and took hold of her throat, lifting her in the air, the other had the knife in hand. "Addie!" Hermione croaked. "Run!"_

" _No!" He cried out, with his wand outstretched in his left hand. A jolt of yellow light flew past Adelinde as she ran from the room, shattering a vase close to her. The glass flew, pieces hitting her, causing her to cry out. She disappeared from his sight and he growled, grabbing Hermione by the throat. His fingers tightened and he hoisted her into the air before throwing her onto the coffee table, shattering it to pieces. "I told you, you don't fight me." Hermione groaned, feeling warm blood pool underneath her head, her eyesight blurry. She felt a stinging on her abdomen and she blinked, watching as he came into focus. With one hand, she grabbed onto the metal protruding from her side. She looked up at him and he had a sneer. He was enjoying this, she knew. She cried out as she tugged on the metal, pulling it out, feeling it go through her. She attempted to ignore the blood, but knew she wouldn't be able to for long. She dropped the metal and her fingers felt the space around her. She curled her fingers around a piece of glass, slicing through the skin. He bent over her, knife in hand. With as much force as she could muster, she lifted her arm and swung, stabbing the glass into his leg. He cried out in pain, falling to one knee and she took the metal leg that'd been in her body, sticking it through his own abdomen. She took the chance to try to stand, crying out as she did, moving as quick as possible._

 _She ran for the kitchen, just then feeling the pain of glass shards around her back. With a loud grunt, she reached for the cell phone laying on the counter when her legs were pulled out from under her and she hit the ground. As she made contact, felt the crunch of her ribs and she cried out in pain. He lifted her from her hair, slamming her into the tv, cracking it. He lifted her up against him, her back to his front, carrying her kicking form into the living room again. "You've put up quite the fight. I knew it'd be worth it, not using any spells. Muggles may be idiots, but the evil ones sure know how to take their time and have fun."_

 _He let her drop down onto the ground with a loud cry. Her fingers closed over the wound on her side and she winced, gazing up at the man. This evil, evil, man. Tears flowed down her cheeks. She tasted the iron in her mouth mix with the saltiness of her tears. "Please…._ please _, don't do this. You can go. Just- please."_

 _He let out a cold, dark chuckle and shook his head. "You're all the same in the end, begging for life. Begging for mercy." He picked his wand up from where he had dropped it. "You'd think the great Hermione Granger would have put up a bigger fight, but then again, you've been living magic-free for the past year." She inched further away from him, biting her inner cheek to keep from screaming at the pain in her chest. How it hurt to breath. "Yeah, I've been watching you. You know, there was a rumor that you knew wand less magic, but I guess you've been out of practice." He pointed his wand at her, a cruel grin on his face. "Take pride, Ms. Granger. At least you had a few more years than your parents." She shook her head, placing a hand up, as if it was going to help. He brought his hand back and then swung it forth, muttering a silent spell._

 _At the same time, Hermione closed her eyes, willing her magic to come through for her. Willing for it to save her. A blast of white light met green. The meeting of the two spells blew the door off its hinges and shattered the windows. She heard him curse and howl as his body engulfed in flames. She watched, unable to move as he burned, falling to his knees. With whatever strength he had, he looked at her, skin burning to a crisp, pieces of his skull appearing. "I won't be the last. They'll come, one by one. And then…all at once." His inhuman voice shook her to her core and again she sat, frozen, watching as he turned to ash._

 _She wasn't sure how long had passed between the time the body had fully turned to ash and when she snapped out of it. She blinked, her tears still flowing down her cheeks. She took a deep breath, crying out at the jolt of pain in her ribs. She struggled to get to her feet, her hand over the hole in her abdomen. Stumbling, she made her way into the hallway, her head pounding. She was feeling lightheaded now. She was halfway to the hiding spot when her legs buckled beneath her. She managed to lean against the wall, sliding down with a loud groan. She closed her eyes, her teeth grazing her lower lip. She tried. She tried so hard to stay awake, but the darkness engulfed her like an old friend._

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Just a little after 12:15 in the morning, Harry Potter shot up in bed, his hand over his heart, his eyes wide. "Gin- Ginny!" His hand shot out and he managed to take a hold of his wand. He slipped off of the bed and onto the floor, his chest heaving.

"Harry?" His fiancée blinked awake, sitting up right when she caught sight of him. In an instant, she was on the other side of the room, kneeling beside him, her wand in hand. "Lumos." Light illuminated the room and she shook her head. "Harry, what's wrong? What's happening?" She took his hand in hers

"I don't know. I-" He let out a loud cry, curling up into a ball. "I can't- I can't breathe. Ginny, I can't breathe. Something's wrong. Something's wrong."

"What is it, Harry?! I don't understand, what is it?!" There were tears forming in her eyes as she knelt in front of him. "Harry, can you stand? Harry, we have to go to the Burrow. Mum will know what to do." Harry nodded, standing with the help of his partner, practically falling into the fireplace, letting Ginny grab the floo powder. She stepped in beside him, taking his hand and dropping the powder. "the Burrow!" The green flames engulfed them and they were gone.

Less than an hour later, all of yesterday's guests were in Molly and Arthur's living room, waiting on more news from Harry. Daphne was currently evaluating him in the other room. Ron paced back and forth, unable to stay calm, unable to understand. They'd all had a patronus sent to them, informing them of the predicament. He'd been frolicking with Daphne, so close to the edge, when it burst into their room. Needless to say, the mood was killed and they dressed quickly, heading out to the apparation point in less than five minutes.

The door to Harry's current room opened and Daphne stepped out, a frown on her face. "Well?" Ron looked at his girlfriend and she shook her head. She looked between everyone, unsure of how to phrase herself.

"I- well, he's perfectly healthy. I couldn't find anything wrong with him."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Molly cried, leaning against her husband. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Mum!" Ron cried, shaking his head.

"Molly, please. I was the best student in my class. I know what I'm doing. I promise. I know it doesn't make sense." Daphne frowned and moved to stand next to Ron. "That is why I've requested for my boss to come evaluate him in the morning. Maybe he can find something I couldn't. I'll keep an eye on him until then."

The door opened and closed again and Ginny walked out, her eyes bloodshot. "He's resting. He-" her lips formed a tight line as she struggled to speak. Ron wrapped his youngest sister in a hug. "I just don't understand. He was fine when we went to bed. There weren't any signs." She felt her brother's arms wrap tighter around her form. "I can't lose him." She whispered and he nodded, caressing her hair.

"We won't, Gin. We won't."

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The home was quiet. It was too quiet. She didn't know how, but somehow, she knew that the big, scary man was gone. Elizabeth Adelinde Granger counted fifteen ten times before she decided it was time to step out. You couldn't have seen her if you tried. Before giving up her magic, Hermione Granger had made damn sure to have a safe spot for her little one. A wall under the stairs revealed a cupboard and sealed shut so it was undetectable. She'd placed a variety of spells and charms around it so not even a simple, "Homenum Revelio," would give Addie away.

The small child pushed the door open, peeking her head out. "Mama?" She stepped out, biting her lower lip and walking down the hall. Her steps were slow and quiet as she slipped past the door and caught sight of her mother by the wall. She gasped at the sight and ran to her mother, ignoring the glass. "Mama!" She took her mother's hand in her own, shaking her shoulder gently. There was blood everywhere. "Mama, wake up. Wake up, mama!"

Addie leaned down, pressing her ear to her mother's chest. She began to get frightened and tears streamed down her cheeks as she shook her mother fiercely. "Mama, wake up! Wake up! Please, mummy, don't sleep! Don't sleep anymore! I don't want you to sleep!"

She placed her hands on either side of her mother's face, laying her forehead on Hermione's. Her tears slipped off the bridge of her nose and onto her mother's skin. "Please, mama." It was a whisper and it was _magic_. As another tear drop touched Hermione's skin, she glowed. With her eyes closed, Addie couldn't see the light coming from her hands. The blood on Hermione's scalp seemed to disappear, along with the crack. She took a deep breath as her ribs cracked back into place, her eyes opening widely at the sudden burst of pain. She gasped, feeling the wound on her abdomen close.

She took in her daughters hunched form, feeling her shake with sobs. Her voice was hoarse and she suspected that had something to do with how tight his hands had been around her neck. "Addie?"

"Mama?" The little girl looked up at her and jumped into her arms. "Mama, you're awake! You're awake!"

"Oh, Addie!" Hermione sat up and took her child in her arms, holding onto her tightly. "Are you alright? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?" She surveyed her daughter for any signs of a bruise or a cut or anything, but the girl shook her head. "He didn't find you?"

"No. I found you."

"Oh, love." Hermione stood, slowly, very slowly, keeping a hold on her daughter's hand. She took a look around her, at the mess that had been left behind. She could feel herself shaking, whether it was from fear or anger, she couldn't tell. As she looked at the pile of ashes, she remembered his last words and a shiver ran up her spine. Determination crossed her features. "Addie, we have to go. We can't stay here anymore." She took her child and headed upstairs, grabbing the packed backpack in the closet. She took the photos and stuffed them in, grateful that the undetectable extension charm still worked. She took her wand off her desk and gripped it tightly. She would never, ever let it off her body again. She flicked her wrist, her boots suddenly on her feet. She stuffed her wand in it and turned to Adelinde. "Let's go get your bag."

Addie took her own little backpack from her closet. Not that she realized it had a charm similar to her mother's, but she stuffed a teddy in there before grabbing the frame with her father's photo, giving it a kiss and placing it in her bag. Hermione headed downstairs, her child in her arms before grabbing her wallet and tossing it in her backpack. She placed Addie down on the ground, looking around the townhouse once more. Six years she'd spent in this home and in the space of 30 minutes, everything she had ever worked for, the life that she had built- it was all gone. She lifted her wand, the first time ever in front of her daughter, and flicked her wrist, watching everything float to its proper place and the items repair themselves. Addie looked around in wonder, her eyes wide. She made for the door, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She hadn't bothered to clean herself up. Her clothes were dirty, her hair matted with blood, her lip busted open. She used a quick scourgify spell, watching her clothes return mostly to normal, save for the paint splatters and the rips. The blood on her person cleaned up, now only left with the bruises and newly formed scars. Once that was done, she laced her fingers with her daughter and headed out the door, standing on the stone steps. It was there that she took a breath, taking in what had just occurred. It had not escaped her that she had been close to death. Neither had the fact that although she's been severely wounded, here she stood, with just the new determination as a reminder. She bent down to look at Adelinde, smiling softly, a smile that didn't leave her eyes. "Love, I'm going to apparate now. That means you need to concentrate, okay? You hold on to me and don't let go." Addie nodded and Hermione hoisted her up in her arms, turning on the spot. A soft 'pop!' indicated that she had left.

As they arrived, Hermione looked up at the grand building before her, Addie's arms around her neck. She shifted, adjusting the backpack on her. Apparating really didn't agree with her, it seemed, as suddenly she'd lost a lot of her strength. Either way, she couldn't will herself to put her daughter down so soon and headed up the stairs, ignoring the pounding in her head. She had only been in here twice before. Once when she'd arrived from England and another when she'd registered Elizabeth, two months after she was born. It never ceased to amaze her. It was covered in gold, emerald, black, and maroon. At just after 8 o clock, there were less witches and wizards inside. Aurors bustled from place to place, ever busy.

Addie pointed in wonder at the gold leaf Phoenix sculptures on either side of the building. Hermione smiled at the brightness in her eyes, but the worry in her mind kept her going. She practically sprinted past the Salem memorial, looking for the correct department.

It took her a few minutes, but eventually she found it and she moved up to the desk, placing Addie on the ground. "Don't stray." She turned to the stunned witch before her and moved a strand of bloody hair behind her ear. "I need access to the cross-country floo system."

"Access? That's a mighty request. Normally these things take time." The witch pulled up a file, twisting her lips. "I'm afraid the President isn't here at the moment, she's the one who gives such orders. You could come back-"

"No, I need it now." Hermione shook her head, her hands on the desk in front of her, passports in one hand. "You don't understand….do I look like someone who has the time to wait to be approved? I have to go. I need to go." She licked her dry lips, hissing slightly as her tongue made contact with the wound on the edge of her mouth. She handed the woman her passports. "Look, I have all of my paperwork, if you could just look through your files, maybe there's some way that I-"

"Hermione Granger. You're- you're the infamous Hermione Granger, you helped save all of the Wizarding World."

Hermione straightened at that. "Well, not-not all of it."

"Rumor has it that Voldemort would've conquered the world had you not stopped him." The woman smiled and rolled her chair back, grabbing another folder with the tab, _exceptions_ , scribbled on the top. She flipped it open and sifted through it. "Here it is." She turned the folder around so Hermione could see. It was a photo of herself with her birthdate and other relevant information. Under Status, it read: Authorized. "You should have started with your name, Ms. Granger. You've been given access to all of the cross-country transportations since you moved. Comes with being a hero, I guess."

Hermione's lips formed into a tight line and she nodded, tears threatening to spill. "Thank you. I- thank you." She could feel the pain returning to her body, to all of her muscles. She looked down at her hands, watching as the beginnings of a bruise appeared.

"All you need to do is sign here that you're leaving the country. You don't have to worry about specifying whether you'll be back or not, that will take place in your destination." Hermione scribbled furiously, glancing down at Addie, who was tracing the intricate patterns on the desk. "Where is that, exactly?"

"England." Hermione spoke without looking up, signing her name. "I'm returning to England."

"Oh, they will be so happy to see you. It's been years, I assume." The witch really didn't know when to stop, but Hermione nodded. She was being nice after all. "Well, it's just after 1 am in England, Ms. Granger. Is there a specific home you'd like to floo into?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded, her hands steadying her where she stood. "It's- uh- it's the same place I floo'ed out of six years ago." Hermione proceeded to give her the address, her heart leaping when it was confirmed the networks were still connected to each other. She gripped the edge of the desk tightly, her vision blurring.

"Are you alright, miss?" The witch's voice was full of concern and Hermione nodded, although she really wasn't.

"Yes, I just- I have to go _. Now._ Is everything in order?"

"Yes, ma'am. We just have to lead you to the floo system." The witch stood, beckoning over a security wizard. "Please escort Ms. Granger and little Ms. Granger to fireplace 351." The wizard nodded, extending his hand to one side, seemingly offering her the chance to head before her. Hermione took her backpack up again, swinging it onto her shoulders and grabbing hold of Addie's hand. She coughed, placing her hand over her mouth.

As she pulled it away, she noted the blood between her fingers and frowned, wiping her lips. She could deal with this later. Right now, she needed to get home. "Stand there, little one." Hermione placed Addie into the fireplace, turning to the security wizard. "Thank you." She took a fistful of floo powder and dropped it, the green flames engulfing them.

Minerva McGonagall's head shot up as the fireplace roared to life. She stood, her night gown flowing to her feet, her silver hair in its long braid. She had been awoken not three minutes ago by a charm indicating someone was too floo in. Shock registered in her face as she took in the hunched form of Hermione Granger. Her eyes travelled to the child beside her and she shook her head, her hand over her lips. "Granger!" The older witch ran to the sickly pale former student of hers, placing her hands on either side of her face. She looked again at the child, who moved out of the fireplace, still quiet and huddled beside it, frightened.

"Professor…" Hermione groaned out, hands over her stomach, where blood was pouring from a recently reopened wound. Hermione slumped into the older witch's arms, her body going limp. Minerva gasped, taking note of her wounds, her eyes searching frantically for any sign of trouble following them.

She levitated her former student to the sofa, laying her down and turning to the young child. "Go stand by your...mother." The little girl did as she was told and McGonagall grabbed a handful of floo powder, tossing it into the fireplace. She stuck her head in, calling out the name of the home she meant to speak to. She watched as the Burrow came to life before her eyes, all of the guests, currently worried over Harry, turned to her, surprised. Molly's brows furrowed and she opened her mouth to speak before McGonagall cut her off. "She's back. Hermione's back." She turned to the couch behind her and then back to the group of stunned people. "And I think she's in trouble."

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Hope you enjoyed Chapter 5! Please Review! Love, Harley


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